Inhumane Weapons (Hansard, 24 January 1994)

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects Her Majesty's Government to ratify the 1981 inhumane weapons convention.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The United Kingdom hopes to ratify the convention later this year.

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what will be the effect on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the export of anti-personnel mines of ratification of the 1981 inhumane weapons convention by the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Ratification of the convention will not have any direct effects on our policy regarding mine exports. The convention relates to the use of mines, booby traps and other devices as defined, not to their export.
The United Kingdom already adheres strictly to the principles of the convention. We also adopt a responsible approach to the export of defence equipment, and have one of the most rigorous systems for scrutinising licence applications. The United Kingdom has not produced or exported anti-personnel mines for some time.